Process of treating tobacco



- No Drawing.

Patented July 7, 1931 UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS OF TREATINGTQBACCO This invention relates to a process of treating tobacco and anobject of the invention in its broadest aspect provides for the removalof injurious and obnoxious effects, and at the same time mellowing thetobacco to a condition of smoking perfection heretofore not practiced bythe art.

Another important advantage of the process is to remove the excess ofobnoxious matters called glycerides, that when heated to a boilingtemperature when salts are present, decomposes into acrolein, which isrecognized as a violent poison, doing away with this acrid matter whichstultifies the functioning organs of the body when found in smallquantities.

Another important advantage of the process is to brighten dark tobaccothat heretofore could not be used in cigarette manufacturing, therebyeffecting a considerable saving in the cost of raw tobacco, but yetmellowing the darker and imperfect uncured and cured grades of thetobacco to the better grade qualities.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a process of thecharacter referred to that is extremely simple in operation, requiringthe minimum of technical observation, that is thoroughly reliable in itsresults and comparatively inexpensive to carry out.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofa novel sequence of operation that will be hereinafter more specificallydescribed and illustrated in the accompanying specification, wherein isdisclosed an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understoodthat 40 changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the claims hereto appended.

Tobacco is composed of two groups of substances, the organic substancewhich dis- '45 appears in the form of gaseson combustion,

and the mineral substance which remains after combustion forming theash.

The tobacco leaves when first cut taking an average from a series ofanalysis run as follows Application filed April 5, 1930. Serial No.442,040.

Per cent Organic matter 11 Mineral matter 1 l Vater 88 The dried tobaccoleaves (when properly dried), on an average, (by calcination) give 22%of ash, which is apparently formed by the mineral acids, nitric,sulphuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, combined with alka- 3% line bases;potash, magnesia, ammonia, lime, and iron. Silica is always present andmanganese and soda are frequently found.

The principal organic compounds are 35 gums, cellulose and lignin,together with a small amount of glycerine. These vegetable acids,pectic, citric, malic, and oxalic, are combined with the mineral basesoutlined above and the organic. bases, and also the m specific alkaloidof tobacco, nicotine. The larger portion of these compounds, such aslignin, cellulose, and organic acids are found in all tobacco, in almostinvariable proportion. Others such as mineral bases are extremelyvariable.

Nicotine is contained in tiny pear-shaped bulbs or, knobbed hairs, whichcover the surface of the tobacco leaf and it has been found that largequantities of the nicotine evaporate when brought in contact with vaporand heat employed in the process of extraction.

I base my bread claims on the removal of the harmful effects of suchingredients L as albuminoids, glycerides, carbons, since as statedabove, the nicotine passes off as a gas in this process.

After careful study and extensive experimentation covering a period ofalmost nine years, and considering and experimenting with each annualcrop of almost all types of tobaccos, I find that the process of thepresent invention, which removes all organic and mineral matter readilysoluble in steam and water in its particular structure, and at theparticular temperature, that I remove the life of the tobacco leaves,which includes all of the good qualities, as well as the obnoxious,harmful and disagreeable qualities.

By treating the entire fluid extracted from the tobacco leaves, withcertain tempered steam and heat that the excess albuminoids, glycerides,potash, acrids, pungent irritants, salts, silica, soda, manganese andother like substances which on combustion gives the smoker undesirableand harmful effects can be removed from the original extract by themethod of my present invcntion.

The harmful effects produced by the above mentioned ingredients oftobacco are smokers sore throat, smokers hacking cough, ronchi in thelungs, chronic bronchitis, hyper-acidity in the stomach, dyspepsia andgastritis, nervous effects, effects on the heart and circulating systemgenerally, and effects of the liver.

It is further found that by using the process of the present invention,that the original fluid extracted from the tobacco less theabove-mentioned ingredients, and by subsequent treatment of the leaves,impart those excellent qualities back into the body of the tobaccoleaves, thereby giving the smoker tobacco leaves that will cause noappreciable harmful effects when consumed in cigarette, chewing tobacco,or in cigars.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it is possible toapply whatever artificial flavoring or casing to the tobacco that isdesired.

It will furthermore be apparent as the description proceeds, that animportant advantage of the present invention is that while the originalfluid is being extracted from the tobacco leaves, that all bacteroidsare removed and the leaves are thoroughly aired, thereby aging theleaves as desired.

Another important advantage of my process is that after removing theresidue from the original fluid taken from the tobacco leaves, and thenforcing the tobacco leaves to accept the fluid that is most beneficial,and that the smoker get the full value of good tobacco qualities, lessthe harmful effects; that 1 cause a more equal distribution of thetobacco aroma and good qualities, thereby insuring a more perfect andeven blend, that is ordinarily given to the present-day methods ofbulking and blending.

In carrying out the process in accordance with this invention, thetobacco leavesare taken from the hogheads before or after blending, ordirectly from the ordering machine and placed in a centrifugal machinehaving a foraminous rotatable bowl therein.

There is a closed jacket or casing about the bowl. During the rotationof the bowl, amoist steam is directed from suitable jets or nozzles intothe tobacco, preferably from a position above the bowl. The temperaturein the jacket runs from 140 F. to 215 F., and the pressure of theincoming steam should be such as to thoroughly penetrate the mass oftobacco considering, of course, the texture body and color of thetobacco.

The centrifugal bowl is revolved so as to throw off from the tobacco,the excess condensed liquid that, due to the centrifugal force, haspenetrated deeply into the structure of the leaves and removed theexcess albuminoids, glycerides, fatty bodies, potash, acrids, pungentirritants, salts, sil ca, soda, manganese, magnesia and other likesubstances, which on combustion gives the harmful effects.

The fluid extract also contains gums, mmeral and organic matter whichimparts to the tobacco the flavor, the aroma, and other desirablequalities of the tobacco.

The liquid extract is then conveyed to a separate, aluminum receptaclewhere heat is applied, so that the temperature of the extract in thereceptacle during the extraction by the centrifuge ranges from 212 F. to350 F. At this temperature, the nicotine will pass off as a gas orvapor, and it will be found that there is a brownish green scum or frothformed on the top of the extract, in the receptacle, which contains theabove enumerated harmful ingredients, and this scum is decanted orotherwise removed from the receptacle through an overflow pipe.

'When the application of the wet steam terminates the heat in thealuminum receptacle is removed, whereupon when the liquid ceasesboiling, there will be formed the scum on the top, a sediment on thebottom, and an intermediate strata of the extract, the latter of whichis to be used again, and hereinafter will be called the intermediateextract. The sediment and'scum is discarded from the receptacle and theintermediate extract is used over again in a manner to be presentlydescribed.

The moist or wet steam application in the centrifugal machine requires aperiod of time from one to three minutes. After all the extract has beendrained from the centrifugal machine, then there is an application ofdry steam to the tobacco leaves in the centrifugal bowls, thetemperature of the dry steam ranging from 160 F. to 300 F., and for aperiod of from three to seven minutes.

The application of the dry steam has the effect to remove excessmoisture, but leaves the tobacco leaves in a soft pliable condition withthe pores therein open for receiving the intermediate extracts.

At the same time the drying steam application anchors the gum and colorremaining in the tobacco leaves after the first ex traction is complete.

The dry steam is then cut off, and while the tobacco leaves are still inthe centrifugal bowl, the artificial flavoring known to the art ascasing and the intermediate extract are added to the tobacco leaves.

The application may be made while the centrifugal bowl is at rest or inmotion. The tobacco being dry and very porous, absorbs a maximum amountof this casing and intermediate extracts.

After sufficient impregnation, the tobacco is removed from thecentrifugal machine and placed on conveyors which may be of anyconventional character. The conveyors operate at any desirable speed andwhile this tobacco is moving on the conveyors, it is subjected first toartificial infra red rays of light and consecutively subjected toscreened artificial light rays. The exposure to the light rays onlyconsumes the time necessary for the conveyors to pass by these lightrays, because the nature of the rays, penetrate the tobacco and bringsabout a state of mellowness heretofore unobtainable under naturalconditions.

The exposure of the tobacco to the infra red rays, causes the heating ofthe leaves instantaneously, which in turn liberates any noxious gasesand at the same time causes thorough saturation of the casing and alsothe intermediate extract. The application of the screened lightsubsequent to the infra red ray light treatment, tempers the heat of theinfra red rays and counteracts any ill effects resulting therefrom.

The infra red rays may be obtained from any conventional source ofartificial light produced by electricity which is well known in the art.The screened light above mentioned is produced by interposing a layer orlayers of quartz glass (silicon oxide) be tween an electric are lightand the tobacco leaves on the conveyor. The quartz glass filters thelight rays and removes the yellow rays. It is also within thecontemplation of the invention to reflect the screened light all aboutthe tobacco on the conveyors.

After treatment with the light, the leaves are then ready to pass to thecutter storage boxes, preparatory to the cutting operation. After thecutting operation the invention contemplates a second treatment with thelight rays above mentioned in the same sequence as the first applicationthereof and produces the same effects. The tobacco is thereafter readyto pass through the conventional drying machines, which places thetobacco in condition for another storage period prior to the furtherfabrication into plugs, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, or cigars.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein anyparticular form, arrangement or sequence of operation, that it is notintended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claimsor the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new is:

1. A process of treating tobacco comprising subjecting tobacco leaves tothe action of water vapor, extracting liquid from said tobacco leaves,boiling the extracted liquid and permitting said liquid to separate intolayers, and thereafter retreating tobacco leaves with an intermediatelayer of the extracted liquid.

2. A process of treating tobacco comprising subjecting the tobaccoleaves to the action of water vapor, extracting liquid from the tobaccoleaves, boiling the extract and liquid and permitting said liquid toseparate into layers, thereafter retreating tobacco leaves with theintermediate layer of the extracted liquid and subjecting the leaves todry steam.

3. A process of treating tobacco comprising subjecting the tobaccoleaves to the action of water vapor, extracting the liquid from thetobacco leaves, boiling the extracted liquid and permitting said liquidto separate into layers, thereafter retreating tobacco leaves with theintermediate layer of the extracted liquid, and thereafter subjectingthe tobacco leaves to consecutive exposures to electrically producedinfra red light rays. Q

i. A process of treating tobacco comprising subjecting tobacco leaves toheated water vapor, extracting the occluded water vapor by centrifugalforce from the leaves, boiling the extracted liquid and thereafterpermitting the liquid to separate into layers of different densities inthe quiescent state and simultaneously applying dry steam to the treatedleaves and introducing the intermediate layers of the extract andartificial flavoring to the leaves.

5. A process of treating tobacco comprising subjecting tobacco leaves toheated water vapor, extracting the occluded water vapor by centrifugalforce from the leaves, boiling the extracted liquid and thereafterpermitting the liquid to separate into layers of different densities inthe quiescent state andv simultaneously applying dry steam to thetreated leaves and introducing the intermediate layers of the extractand artificial flavoring to the leaves, and thereafter subjecting thetobacco leaves to consecutive exposures to electrically produced infrared light rays and also light rays that have the yellow rays filteredtherefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE 4V. ANDREWS.

